I've always found it odd that so many mainstream schools of meditation place so much emphasis on the importance of body-position, that it can, as you pointed out during one of your ayahuasca journies, actually be detrimental to the experience.
It's so easy for us to get wrapped up in the idea that one must sit with our legs recurved into a postion that 70% of the human population cannot attain (myself included), with a perfectly erect spinal column, and hands placed in a specific posture. Naturally this can lead to a sort of tension (as you mentioned), whereby the practioner becomes so focused on focusing, they forget to unfocus.
I do think there is an argument to made in favor of these sorts of positions, and how the tension or "pressure" on the body can be of aid to help one learn to bypass suffering in the face of pain. However this is hardly the exclusive method in attaining a transcendental state. Most particularly in when undergoing a psychedelic event, whereby comfort is arguably of the utmost importance, since surrender to the experience is a baseline for progression.
A wonderful, insightful read; beautifully written as ever.
I've always found it odd that so many mainstream schools of meditation place so much emphasis on the importance of body-position, that it can, as you pointed out during one of your ayahuasca journies, actually be detrimental to the experience.
It's so easy for us to get wrapped up in the idea that one must sit with our legs recurved into a postion that 70% of the human population cannot attain (myself included), with a perfectly erect spinal column, and hands placed in a specific posture. Naturally this can lead to a sort of tension (as you mentioned), whereby the practioner becomes so focused on focusing, they forget to unfocus.
I do think there is an argument to made in favor of these sorts of positions, and how the tension or "pressure" on the body can be of aid to help one learn to bypass suffering in the face of pain. However this is hardly the exclusive method in attaining a transcendental state. Most particularly in when undergoing a psychedelic event, whereby comfort is arguably of the utmost importance, since surrender to the experience is a baseline for progression.
As always Alex, your publications are treat.
Happy Friday sir.
Alex, Thank you 🙏 for sharing your journey, as you continue to explore your cosmic story. ❤️🙏❤️